When a patient arrives to the hospital for routine admission, the nurse must first do the following

RRB Nsg Superintendent -29 April 2025 (Shift-1st)

Nursing Foundation

Medium

Appeared in: RRB Nsg Superintendent -29 April 2025 (Shift-1st)

Explanation

'Complete the admission procedure' because it is the most comprehensive and overarching nursing responsibility upon a patient's arrival for a routine admission.
This procedure is a multi-step process that includes initial assessment, taking a health history, orienting the patient to the unit, and documenting all findings.
The other options listed are individual tasks that are all part of the complete admission procedure.
By selecting this option, it acknowledges that the nurse's first duty is to initiate and carry out this entire standardized process to ensure patient safety and establish a baseline for care.

Option A: Telling the patient the routine and policies of the hospital is an important part of orienting the patient, but it is only one component of the overall admission procedure. The nurse must also perform assessments and documentation.
Option B: In a routine admission, the physician is typically notified after the nurse has completed the initial assessment and gathered baseline data. Informing the doctor is not the immediate first step.
Option C: Obtaining blood for laboratory tests is a dependent nursing action that requires a physician's order. These orders are typically reviewed and carried out after the initial admission assessment has begun.

Visual 1: Flowchart - A flowchart illustrating the sequence of a routine patient admission, starting with greeting the patient, followed by assessment, documentation, orientation, and finally, implementing initial care orders. This helps visualize 'Complete the admission procedure' as a multi-step process.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Nursing responsibilities during the patient admission process to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
A systematic and thorough admission process is critical for patient safety. It establishes an accurate baseline of the patient's health status, which is used to track progress and detect changes.
Proper documentation during admission is a legal requirement and a vital communication tool for the entire healthcare team, ensuring continuity of care.
What if? If the patient arrived in the Emergency Department via ambulance after a car accident instead of for a routine admission, the nurse's first action would be to perform a primary survey (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Disability, Exposure) to identify and manage life-threatening injuries, rather than starting a comprehensive admission procedure.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the keywords in the question: 'routine admission' and 'nurse must first do'. 'Routine' implies a non-emergency, planned event. 'First' asks for the initial priority action.
Analyze the options to see their relationship. Notice that telling routines, informing the doctor, and getting blood are all specific tasks.
Recognize that 'Complete the admission procedure' is a broader, more encompassing option that likely includes some of the other tasks.
In priority questions, the most comprehensive option that covers the essential initial steps is often the correct answer.
Conclude that the admission procedure is the overall process the nurse is responsible for initiating, making it the best answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Nursing responsibilities during the patient admission process.
Stem keywords: routine admission, nurse, first do
Lead-in keywords: first
Clinical cues: The term 'routine admission' is a key cue, indicating a planned, non-emergency situation where a systematic process is followed.

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